“Some analysts say Obama’s proposals are almost radical.”

Thus sayeth CBS News. No analysts are mentioned, but they should be. Two of the president’s proposals to cripple the charitable and mortgage interest deductions are indeed “radical” as they are squarely aimed not just at high income families who will see their deductions slashed but also at the churches, charities, schools and every not-for-profit that will be greatly damaged if the charitable deduction is reduced, and at every single homeowner in America, especially the retirees, who need their houses to grow in value not diminish. Reducing the value of the mortgage interest deduction reduces the value of every home in America, not just the incomes of those in the highest brackets.

A non-radical proposal would be a straight-forward demand to raise the top rate to 42 or 45%. That would be a transparent attempt to cost-shift, and consistent with standard liberal economics. But a stealth rate-hike that deeply damages the country’s charitable and faith-based sectors as well as every homeowner is indeed radical. No Republican who supports either idea should be supported, and no Democrat who does so can ever legitimately claim to be a “moderate” again.

Declaring even a covert war on churches and home-ownership isn’t remotely “liberal.” It is radical.